In Summary

“Some people default on bank loans, change names and go to another bank and default again. This is because we don’t have a national identification number that can be used to trace them,” Stephen Kagoda, ps internal affairs ministry

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By FARIDAH KULABAKO

Kampala. Ugandans who will not have registered to get national identification cards by February 27, next year will not be eligible for employment, education or accessing health services in the country, Internal Affairs State minister has said.

Mr James Baba, who was lobbying for a partnership with telecommunication companies’ executive directors for the mass enrolment exercise yesterday, said the move to deny access to such services seeks to compel Ugandans to register and be issued with national IDs.

The exercise will be conducted in two phases, according to Ms Betty Nasenja, the deputy National Identity Cards project manager, with the first phase expected to begin next week and end on February 27, 2015 while the second phase will begin after February 2016.

“We will stop the exercise on February 27, next year to avoid any confusion with registering new voters for the 2016 elections, which is expected to take place between February 12 and March 12, 2016,” she said.In the first phase, all Ugandans aged 16 and above will be registered while those aged 15 and below and aliens will be registered in the second phase.

Ms Nasenja, however, noted that there will be a continuous enrolment exercise for Ugandans who will not have registered by February 27 next year for various reasons.

Mr Baba called upon telecommunication companies to partner with them to publicise the exercise by offering their platforms to send bulk SMS and also offer other logistical support.

Although telecoms pledged to collaborate, they said they can only be able to reach out to about 50 per cent of the population who are using their networks.